Help a Mom: How to decline playdates

A mom wonders how to graciously decline playdate invitations because of worries about the safety of her daughter's friend's neighborhood.

Posted 1:44 a.m. Mar 7, 2012 — Updated 1:44 a.m. Mar 7, 2012

Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

Here's this week's dilemma:

My grade schooler has become fast friends with one of her classmates. Her friend has been to our house several times. They really get along together and have a lot in common. It's wonderful to watch their friendship grow.

Here's the problem: My daughter has been invited over to her house a couple of times. The neighborhood is not a great one and I know that my daughter's friend has told her a few times about incidents that have happened and involved the police. I don't feel comfortable sending my daughter there. How do I graciously decline their invitation, but make it clear that I love having their daughter at our house?

What would you do? Do you have advice? Please share your experience in the comments box below. (If you don't see the comments box below, you'll need to log in or sign up for a WRAL account. You can do that by going to the top of the page and clicking on either "log in" or "register").

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